Mariners: Sign this, or else!
Posted: Sunday February 28, 1999 05:29 PM
By David Fleming, Sports Illustrated
PEORIA, Ariz. -- I have to admit even I thought the warm fuzzy glow I
felt when I arrived at spring training would last longer than two days.
Everything seemed perfect for Fan Fest over the weekend at the Seattle Mariners
training site. A gorgeous blue dome sky. Smiling players taking batting
practice. Relaxed coaches leaning on the cage. The crack of bats. The smell
of hot dogs. People so happy to see baseball again they were actually
cheering players for catching balls during a pop up drill.
I guess the only problem I had with Fan Fest was, well, the fans.
The incessant chirping from the stands for autographs and balls and bats
and shoes and wrist bands and photos started as soon as the players stepped
on the field. A PR person I met down here put it best: Getting autographs
from ball players used to be like fishing. You go to the park, you see
who's there and hope to get maybe one signature, knowing that even if you
struck out, the day was still a success because you were outside and
watching baseball and enjoying yourself. That's what was important, not
landing some illegible scribble.
Now, it seems, fans think they are owed an autograph or a piece of the
players just for showing up and paying for admission, which on this day,
was absolutely free.
That hardly stopped the relentless requests from fans. It's depressing,
really. And sad. And degrading. The kind of behavior I witnessed makes me
understand why players sometimes act they way they do. I mean, these guys
are at work.
"GRIFFEY SIGN THIS!" "ALEX, come over here, NOW!"
"Hey mister," one fan even yelled to me, "will you run out and get that
ball and throw it here?" Sorry, dude. I'm working, too.
Another woman got a little perturbed when I wouldn't take a photo from her
and hand it to Griffey to sign. Give me a break.
"Junior," screamed one man, "you are a home-run hitter, it's OK to admit
it!" Griffey, who waves to fans and says hi even when he's busy on the
field, finally yelled back, "Have you been taking expired medication
again?"
I ask you, is there anything quite as depressing as hearing a 12-year-old
voice in the stands screech: "Come sign this ... AW, YOU SUCK, WHO PAYS
YOUR SALARY, WE DO!!!" Or, "I'm leaving soon, sign this pleeeeeeeease ...
Griffey, come on man, get over here!"
It never stopped. A two-hour practice. A perfect day for baseball, ruined
by, I'm sorry to say, the fans. It's a lousy signature, people. It's a
baseball. It's a sweaty wrist band, for cryin' out loud. Why isn't it
enough to go and watch and enjoy and treasure the memories? People just
don't bother paying attention, I guess -- instead they demand a keepsake
so they'll remember their special day at the park.
Two hours after practice it was still going on. The players were
all gone and I was headed home out the media room door and there stood two
dozen people still groping at the gate by the players' parking lot for one
final shot at a signature.
"GO HOME," I wanted to holler, "AND STAY THERE! The world of sports is
better off without you."
And then, today, for the perfect ending to my less-than-ideal stop at
Mariners camp, I approached Griffey and asked for a few minutes of his
time. I had watched Junior goof around with teammates and media and fans
and coaches for two days. The guy just seemed to be thoroughly enjoying
himself down here.
At one point he interrupted his discussion with someone else on the sport
of hockey so he could scold me for bad posture while interviewing another
player. So I thought there wouldn't be any problem with a quick line of
questions as he walked to the field for practice.
"Nah man, no way," Griffey said. "F--- Sports Illustrated and f--- CNN and
f--- ESPN and f--- Fox and f--- all the rest, too."
"OK, forget it," I said, trying another tack. "I'm not with national
media. I'm a reporter for the Moeller High School student newspaper.
[Clever reference to Junior's high school near Cincinnati.] Now can
I ask you a few questions?"
"Nah, man, f--- Moeller too."
From a field of dreams to a field of screams in just two days. This must
be some kind of record.
Sports Illustrated staff writer David Fleming will check in with
periodic Postcards from his tour of spring camps.
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